Wine Storage: What You Need To Know

Nowadays, more and more people have come to appreciate wines. Pairing wines with food is now becoming increasingly popular. An increasing number of people are now collecting wines not just to appreciate them and pair them with foods but also as an investment.

As wines are perishable and very sensitive to its environment, it is very important to store wine in its optimum condition in a proper storage facility like a wine cooler refrigerator or wine cellar.

And just as enjoying wine is a multi-sensory experience; involving taste, smell, color and feel as you partake in that expensive French Bordeaux; storing wines have multiple aspects to consider, ensuring that your wine will evolve to its full potential instead of turning to vinegar by the time you get around to opening it!

The essence of proper wine storage is to keep the wines in its optimal conditions and when properly managed, there’s no better feeling than turning your young, vibrant wine into a mature classic for you to enjoy.

Here are some POINTERS for Wine Collectors or those who are just starting out, about the basics you should know about wine storage:

Temperature

There are many  great wine collections that have been damaged by instability in temperature and moisture. Of all the storage factors that will adversely affect your wine, fluctuating temperature is the most damaging. The ideal temperature range is between 45° F and 65° F, with optimal wine storage right around 55°F.

For storing red wines, 50-55ºF or 10-16ºC while for white wines, they can be stored at lower ranges at 45ºF. So, make sure to have consistent temperatures, as dramatic fluctuations in temperature will damage the wine and the cork.

High temperature (>65ºF) can cause the wine to age prematurely; thus, losing its flavor and balance. When chilled too cold, the wine freezes and expands, pushing out and damaging the cork, which will allow more oxygen to be exposed to the wine, reducing the wine's delicate but complex flavor and aromas.

Proper Lighting

Wines when exposed to strong, direct sunlight or incandescent light can have an adverse reaction, negatively affecting the flavor of the wine significantly and resulting in premature aging or even spoilage. This is because the sun’s UV rays can degrade and prematurely age wine. That’s why wine bottles and most wine coolers are being tinted with dark colored glass, most with UV filters incorporated, to allow very little light to get to the wine.

But, take note that this does not necessarily offer full UV protection. So, store your wines in dark, cellar-like conditions like in wine cellars, or wine refrigerator or cooler.

Position of Wine Bottles in the Storage

Remember to always keep your wine either horizontally, at a 45º angle with the cork facing down or somewhere in between. Storing in this position will keep the wine in constant contact with the cork ensuring the cork will stay moist and not dry out. Thereby, this will minimize the probability of the cork cracking or shrinking and enabling air into the bottle, which will oxidize the wine and spoil the wine’s aromas, flavors and color.

How to Pick the Right Wine Storage for your Wine

Depending on the size of your collection, you can store your wine in a wine refrigerator, turn your basement / spare room into a wine cellar, or buy other wine cooler options. No matter what your choice is, just be sure to set and monitor the temperature, humidity, and aging period.

Humidity

The wine’s ideal humidity level is between 60% - 70%. A higher humidity level tends to create mildew or mold on the cork as well as spot and damaged your labels, negatively affecting the market value of fine wine.

On the other hand, low humidity can cause corks to dry out and crack, allowing more air into the bottle, leading to rapid spoilage. So, make sure to maintain humidity level range to keep the corks from drying out while preventing the formation of unwanted mold.

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Guide on Choosing Your Wine Cooler

Another alternative for wine cellar as a means for properly storing your wine collection is a wine cooler.

Also known as a wine chiller, wine coolers are refrigeration-based units that are installed on either under or over a counter top or by itself  as a stand-alone unit in a bar area or wine cellar of a home.

Wine Coolers are used to keep the wines served in the correct temperature, either chilled or cooled. These coolers come in two styles, namely: tabletop units and refrigerator style units.

Two Styles of Wine Coolers

1.   Table Top Units

These are coolers that are small in size, used to chill a single wine bottle rapidly. This type of unit is particularly good for those types of wines that must be served chilled, like white, sparkling, and rose.

2. Refrigerator Style Units

On the other hand, refrigerator style units are a type of cooler unit that has the capacity to store over a dozen wine bottles at selected temperatures. As it can replicate temperature and humidity levels, this type of cooler can also be used in place of a cellar.

So, if you’re interested in buying a wine chiller, here is how to choose one that is appropriate for your needs:

Know the Types of Wines you'll place in the Cooler

List down the types of wines that you plan to store in the wine cooler. This is done due to the fact that each different kind of wine has its own optimum temperature guidelines and recommendations. There are coolers that may only be suitable for one type and may have one temperature regulation while there are also others that may have a more sophisticated system where different compartments can house different beverage varieties.

Size and Capacity of the Wine Cooler

Wine coolers are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from a few wine bottles to 25 all the way up to hundreds of bottles. If at any given time, you think that only a few bottles of wine will be kept in the wine cooler, then perhaps it would be more appropriate to choose a cooler of smaller size. However, if you only have a limited amount of wine stored at room temperature but need a very large space to house wines that need to be refrigerated, it would be appropriate to choose a larger wine cooler.

Check for the Coolers' Temperature Controls

Make sure that the unit you choose will enable you to regulate the temperature. This is because too low or too high can damage the wine. Take note that serving wines must be kept in a temperature of 50°F for light-bodied white wines and 68°F for full-bodied red wines.

See the Temperature and Humidity Settings

There are some coolers that enable you to store wines by providing dual temperature zones. Make sure that temperature selection should vary from 38°F to about 65°F. With this wide temperature range, it will allow you to either store your wines or keep them in serving condition. On the other hand, make sure also that the cooler must be able to maintain the humidity level of 80%, while keeping the air circulating. This is to prevent the growth of mildew and mold. Check also the humidity, making sure that it can keep the cork moist.

Look for Special FEATURES like Glass Fronts, Stainless Steel Trim and Auto Defrost Facility

Make sure to also look for energy efficient models as well as specialized models that have tinting to prevent sunlight and UV rays from entering and destroying the wine inside.

Consider your Budget

You must always factored into your buying, your budget. Make sure to take a note of it when shopping. And as such check each model for the specific desires and requirements, along with your budget. 

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